A Mom Found a Boy Under Her Daughter’s Bed. Now She Faces Murder Charges

“I did what I had to do.” Those were reportedly the words of Kendra Scott, a Tennessee mother accused of taking fatal action after finding a male stranger hiding under her teenage daughter’s bed last week. Now, the 36-year-old is facing first-degree murder charges—and court documents are revealing a wild twist in the story.

According to the Memphis Police Department, police identified the man as Rodderius Morton—and say he was actually invited into the home by a juvenile witness, as reported by WKRC 4.

It all unfolded around 1:30 a.m. on July 16, when Scott arrived back at her home on Travis Road in Memphis. According to the juvenile witness cited by News Channel 3, Scott started pounding furiously on the front door, shouting into the night: “Who’s at my house?”

The juvenile told authorities she was petrified to let Scott inside because Scott had previously threatened to shoot any boy she saw at the home, according to LocalMemphis.com. That morning, Scott was allegedly armed, enraged, and had already promised, “If I see a boy in the house, I will put a hole in his ass.”

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When the juvenile witness finally opened the door, Morton was found hiding under a bed in her room, investigators said.

Once Scott and Morton made it to the front porch after Scott allegedly demanded, “Get out of my house, b****!”, the juvenile told police she heard a single gunshot. When Memphis police arrived at the scene, they said they observed a male victim suffering from a gunshot wound.

“The victim succumbed to his injuries and was pronounced deceased at the scene,” the Memphis Police Department announced. Memphis Police report that the victim did not have a weapon. Scott allegedly told authorities that she “saw a dude under my kids’ bed, and I did what I had to do.” 

Tanisha Gunn, describing herself as a relative of Morton, wrote in a July 17 Facebook post that “this whole situation is so freaking sad and unfortunate.” She added: “I’m just blown away after reading the affidavit. No way you was allowing him to leave, just to SHOOT HIM IN THE BACK OF HIS HEAD.”

Heartbroken is how Robin Perkins described herself after learning of the tragic shooting of her former student. The special education teacher took to Facebook to remember Morton, calling him a soft-spoken and respectful student.

“Roderious Morton was my baby. Sweet and respectful. From what I was told it was a senseless murder,” she wrote. “I know Mr. Morton didnt deserve this. I don’t know everything but from my understanding he was shot from behind in cold blood by someone much older. They didnt have to do him like that.”

Perkins also spoke with WREG about the young man she knew. “Most people, based off this story they don’t know the young man like I did,” Perkins told WREG. “I do not condone his actions of going and mingling with a 13-year-old … I found out last night from his sister that no one knew that he was gone from the house.”

Kendra Scott was arrested on the scene and was later charged with First Degree Murder and Employing a Firearm During the Commission of a Dangerous Felony.

During a court hearing on Monday, she was given a $100K bond by a judge, ABC 24 reported. According to court records, she posted bail two days later. Scott is scheduled to appear back in court on Aug. 3. 

As Scott now faces potential life behind bars, her attorney, Blake Ballin told PEOPLE that the whole tragedy simply “started with the worst nightmare of any parent.”